Railway signal-torpedo



- E. A. SCHOOLEY AND W. C. WILSON, In.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1921.

Patented Aug. 16,1921.

jnvenivra merals 2 and f wire EDWARD A. schooner, or PE 1 PnNNsYLveNra, PITTSBURGH, rnNNs' BAILVIAY SIGNAlh-TORIEDQ. I

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Application filed May 24,

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it'known that we, 1 DWARD A. SoHooLnY and WILLIAM C. lVILsoN, Jr, citizens of the V nited States, and residents, respectively, of Pittsburgh, in the count Y of ilillegheny and State of Pennsylvania, andCallery, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsyh Vania, have invented'cernin new and useful Improvements in Railway Signal-Torpedoes, of which the following is a specificationv l This invention has relation to torpedoes used on railways as audible signals, and more particularly to torpedoes embodying an explosive charge, an enveloping casing formed of fibrous material, and means, for detachably securing the torpedoes to the rails of a railway track. i a

-' One object of our invention is the provision of a fiber case torpedo of novel construction, whereinrand whereby the exploe sive charge is securedin assembled position within its envelop or casing. i

Another object of the invention is to provide a torpedo having a rail attaching strap secured to the torpedo in such manner as to permit of the torpedo being attached to the rails with either end face thereof in engagement withthe rail to which it is applied.

Other objects and advantages of the invention,'such as cheapness and ease of manufacture, and the general improvement of the art, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, will be more fully explained in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure l is a perspective view of a torpedo embodying the invention, the figure being partly broken away for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation showing the torpedo attached to a rail.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the torpedo in the reverse position from Fig. 1, this figure also being broken away for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional elevation taken in a plane at right angles to the plane of the section of Fig. 2.

Referring now to thed'rawings, the nu 3, respectively, designate cupshaped casing members, made of fiber or fibrous material, which are telescoped to- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16', 1921. 1921. Serial No. 472,249.

gether so as to form an inclosing casing for the explosive compound 1 The casing formed by the cup shaped members 2 and 3 is positioned within a third cup-shaped outer shell 5. The outer shell 5 is of somewhat greater depth than the explosive containing casing, and therefore its side walls projects slightly'abovethe flat end face of the casing so as to form a rim 6; A rail engaging strap T, formed of lead or similar ductile metal, is laid over the exposed endof the explosive containing casthe outer member 3 of the casing and the side wall of the shell 5 at each of diametrally opposite points, the ends of the strap projecting through suitable apertures 8 'in and is passed between the sidewallof the edgeof the end surface of the outer shell 5, at the juncture of the closed end face and side wall thereof. The strap7, when in the position described above,-serves to temporarily hold the explosive containing casing and shell 5 in assembledpositions while the parts are being sealed or cemented in place.

The cement forming the closure Sis then spread over the exposed face of the explosive containing casing while in a plastic state and is worked was to cause it to flow the rim (Sand adhere to the outer surface of, the side wall of the shell 5. lVhile not absolutely necessary, this is not objectionable, since it aids in keeping the closure in position. The plastic material forming the closure 9, before it hardens or sets, is smoothed to form a substantially fiat level surface.

The several cup-shaped fiber cups or cases of the torpedo are impregnated or coated with a suitable moisture-proof compound before being assembled, and, if desired, the finished torpedo may be varnished or coated with any suitable moisture-proof compound and may then be sanded or not, as desired.

It will be understood that we do not wish to be limited to the exact embodiment of our invention shown and described, since various modifications and equivalents, which will edge of the side wall of'the readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention as defined in the appended claims.

WVe claim 1. A railway signal torpedo comprising a disk-shaped explosive containing casing, an outer cup-shaped shell telescoped over said explosive containing casing, said cupshaped shell being of greater depth than said casing, and the sidewall thereof forming a projecting rim above the flat end face of said explosive containing casing, a rail engaging member laid along the exposed fiat end face of said explosive containing casing and passed between the side walls of said explosive containing casing 'and said outer shell, and having its free ends extending through apertures in the edge of said shell formed at the juncture of the closed end face and side wall thereof, and a binding closure of plastic material filling the space between the exposed face of said explosive containing casing and the projecting rim formed by the side walls of said shell, said plastic material covering said rail engaging member and securing the several parts of said torpedo together.

2. A railway signal torpedo comprising a sectional, fibrous disk-shaped explosive containing casing, an outer cup-shaped fibrous shell telescoped over said explosive containing casing, said cup-shaped shell being of ing casing,

greater depth than said casing, and the side wall thereof forming a projecting rim above the flat end face of said explosive containa rail engaging member laid along the exposed flat end face of said explosive containing casing and said outer shell, and having its free ends extending through apertures in the edge of said shell formed at the juncture of the closed end face and said wall thereof, and a rigid closure of plastic cementitiouas material filling the space between the exposed face of said explosive containing casing and the projecting rim formed by the side walls of said shell, said plastic material engaging the several parts of said torpedo, to thereby secure the several parts together and form a waterproof joint therebetween.

3. A railway signal torpedo comp ising an explosive containing casing having a pair of telescoped cup-shaped members, a cup-shaped shell telescoped over said explo} sive containing casing, said cup-shaped shell being of greater depth than said casing, the greater depth of said cup-shaped shell providing a projecting rim above the flat end face of said explosive casing, a rail engaging member extending along the fiat end face of said explosive containing casing and between the side walls of said explosive casing and said cup-shaped shell, and having the free ends thereof extending through apertures in the edge of said shell at the juncture of the closed end face and side wall thereof, and means for cementing said explosive containing casing, said outer shell,

and said rail engaging strap in assembled relation. r

4. A railway signal torpedo comprising a fiber explosive inclosing casing having a pair of cup-shaped members, a fiber cupshaped shell telescoped oversaid casing, said shell being of greater depth than said casing to thereby provide a projecting rim above the fiat end face of said casing, a rail engaging strap extending across the flat end face of said casing and between the side walls of said casing and said cup-shaped shell, said strap having the ends thereof extending through apertures in the edge of said shell at the juncture of the closed end face and side wall thereof, and a cementitious binder for closing the open; end of said shell, said binding material being put into position in a plastic state in securing the several parts together.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

EDWARD A. SCHOOLEY. WILLIAM 0. WILSON, JR. 

